1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for feeding a continuous plastic film from a source of supply to a plastic film processing machine such as a plastic bag making machine and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A plastic bag making machine has been generally used for making household garbage bags from a continuous plastic film of material such as polyethylene. The plastic film is fed from a source of supply to a plastic bag making machine. The source of supply may comprises an inflation apparatus in which the molten plastic raw material is directed into a cylindrical die and blown up by air, whereby a tubular plastic film is continuously produced and fed. The tubular plastic film is then heat cut widthwise in the plastic bag making machine to make household garbage bags.
A problem is sometimes encountered in utilizing the inflation apparatus to the plastic bag making machine. As noted, the inflation apparatus should not be temporarily stopped during operation from the point of view of efficiency. Accordingly, even though the bag making machine is temporarily stopped for adjustment, the plastic film is constantly fed from the inflation apparatus not stopped. In this connection, it has been heretofore required to manually cut the plastic film between the inflation apparatus and the bag making machine, when stopping the bag making machine. The plastic film fed from the inflation apparatus is then manually directed to and taken up about a winder. When the bag making machine is restarted, the plastic film between the infration apparatus and the winder and the plastic film to the bag making machine are manually directed to a position to be put together and heat cut by an impulse heater so that the plastic film from the inflation apparatus is connected to the plastic film to the plastic bag making machine. The plastic film is then fed from the inflation apparatus to the plastic bag making machine. This operation involves labour and time consumption.
A packaging machine has been also used. A continuous plastic film is fed from a source of supply to the packaging machine to pack articles in the plastic film. In this case, when the packaging machine is temporarily stopped, while the source of supply is not stopped, it has been heretofore required to manually cut the plastic film between the source of supply and the packaging machine, and direct to and take up about a winder the plastic film fed from the inflation apparatus.